1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to imaging systems and methods.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, imaging systems are used in a wide variety of fields. For example, imaging systems are used extensively for medical applications in assisting a medical professional to determine the best treatment for a patient.
Recently, there has been success with large-area imaging systems and processes that are used as medical imaging systems. These large-area imaging system can use a large number of pixels where a frame time can be quite long, for example, the frame time can be nearly 1 second. One frame time is the time required for all of the pixels in the imaging system to be read out. Further, because these large-area imaging systems can combine a plurality of static images, changes to one static image that occur faster than an established frame time are averaged together which results in the large-area imaging system displaying blurry images. This problem can be caused by the inability of pixel circuitry used within the imaging system to permit a dynamic response time when an object that is moving is imaged by the imaging system.
Thus, there is a need for an imaging system with a pixel circuitry that permits a dynamic response time capable of properly managing the frame times associated with a large number of pixels so that the images will not appear as blurry images when they are displayed. There is an additional need for the ability to synchronize the imager response to external events such as a strobe light, x-ray source, or an object moving into an appropriate position for imaging.